About Cocoa Studio

Our Mission

Cocoa Studio exists to transform how people experience chocolate—from mindless candy to mindful appreciation. We believe chocolate deserves the same respect as wine or coffee, that cacao farmers deserve recognition, and that everyone can develop a sophisticated chocolate palate.

Who We Are

We’re chocolatiers, cacao buyers, bean-to-bar makers, and chocolate educators who’ve traveled to origin countries, worked in chocolate factories, and dedicated our careers to understanding this remarkable food.

We’ve witnessed the gap between what people know about chocolate (milk, dark, sweet) and what chocolate can be (fruity, floral, nutty, terroir-driven, endlessly complex). Cocoa Studio bridges that gap.

What We Offer

Comprehensive Guidebooks

Our educational content covers chocolate from tree to bar:

Bean-to-Bar Basics: Understand how cacao becomes chocolate
Chocolate Tasting: Develop your palate like a professional
Cacao Origins: Explore terroir from Ecuador to Madagascar
Tempering Guide: Master the science of chocolate shine
Pairing Guides: Match chocolate with cheese, wine, and more

Interactive Learning

Make learning delicious:

Tempering Simulator: Practice temperature control virtually
Origin Tasting Games: Identify cacao regions by flavor
Pairing Quizzes: Match chocolate to complementary flavors
Tasting Wheel Flashcards: Learn the vocabulary of chocolate

Chocolate Database

(Coming Soon) Explore our curated collection:

Single-origin chocolate from around the world
Bean-to-bar maker profiles
Cacao origin flavor profiles
Ethical sourcing certifications

Our Philosophy

Quality Over Quantity

We champion craft chocolate makers who prioritize bean quality and ethical sourcing over mass production and high profits.

Terroir Matters

Like wine, chocolate expresses where it’s grown. We teach you to taste the difference between Ecuador and Madagascar, between good and exceptional cacao.

Ethics Are Essential

Chocolate’s history includes exploitation. We promote fair trade, direct trade, and transparent supply chains that benefit cacao farmers.

Tasting Is Skill

Anyone can develop a sophisticated chocolate palate with practice and guidance. We provide both.

Our Expertise

Our team includes:

Certified Chocolate Tasters (IICCT, Chocolate Academy)
Bean-to-Bar Makers with production experience
Cacao Buyers who source directly from origin countries
Food Scientists specializing in chocolate processing
Pastry Chefs working with fine chocolate daily

Every guidebook, tasting note, and recommendation reflects hands-on expertise and sensory training.

Who Cocoa Studio Is For

Curious Beginners

If you’ve only known grocery store chocolate and want to discover what you’ve been missing, start here. We’ll introduce you to craft chocolate gently.

Developing Enthusiasts

You’ve tasted good chocolate and want to understand it better. Our guides teach you to identify origins, flavors, and quality markers.

Home Bakers

Working with chocolate in recipes? Our tempering guides and chocolate selection advice ensure baking success.

Gift Shoppers

Choosing fine chocolate as a gift becomes easier when you understand percentages, origins, and flavor profiles.

Ethical Consumers

If you care about where your food comes from and who grew it, our ethical sourcing guides help you shop with values.

Professional Development

Chefs, baristas, and hospitality professionals will find our technical guides and tasting training valuable for career development.

Our Commitment

Always Educational

We teach you how to taste, not just what to buy. Understanding trumps recommendations.

No Brand Bias

When we recommend chocolate makers, it’s because they exemplify quality and ethics, not because they pay us.

Farmer-Focused

Cacao farmers deserve recognition and fair compensation. We highlight chocolate makers with transparent, ethical sourcing.

Scientifically Accurate

Chocolate involves complex chemistry. Our technical guides are scientifically sound, reviewed by food scientists.

Continuously Updated

The craft chocolate world evolves rapidly. We update content regularly with new makers, origins, and techniques.

Get Started

Begin your chocolate education:

Bean-to-Bar Basics - Understand how chocolate is made
Chocolate Tasting - Develop your palate
Cacao Origins - Explore terroir

Try our tempering simulator to practice technique, or explore our interactive tasting games.

Our Values

Quality: Craft chocolate over mass-market Ethics: Fair treatment of cacao farmers Education: Teaching appreciation and discernment Sustainability: Environmental and social responsibility Accessibility: Making fine chocolate knowledge available to all

The Craft Chocolate Movement

We’re part of a global movement toward:

Bean-to-bar production: Makers controlling the entire process
Single-origin chocolate: Showcasing terroir
Fair compensation: Paying farmers sustainable prices
Heirloom cacao: Preserving rare and flavorful varieties
Transparency: Knowing exactly where beans come from

This movement transforms chocolate from commodity to craft, from exploitation to partnership.

Beyond the Bar

Chocolate is more than a treat—it’s:

Agriculture: Tropical farming in the cacao belt
Science: Fermentation, roasting, and tempering chemistry
Culture: Ancient Mesoamerican traditions to modern craft
Economics: Commodity markets and fair trade
Health: Antioxidants and mindful indulgence
Art: Flavor, texture, and aesthetic presentation

Cocoa Studio explores all these dimensions, deepening your relationship with chocolate.

Cacao Percentage Demystified

You’ll see us discuss percentages frequently (70%, 85%, etc.). This indicates:

How much of the bar is cacao (beans + butter)
How much is sugar (100% minus cacao percentage)
NOT necessarily quality or flavor

We’ll teach you that 70% Madagascar chocolate tastes completely different from 70% Ecuador chocolate, that percentage is just one factor among many.

Our Stance on “Healthy” Chocolate

Chocolate contains beneficial compounds (antioxidants, minerals), but it’s also caloric and contains saturated fat and sugar. We promote:

Moderation: Quality over quantity
Mindfulness: Savoring, not gorging
Realistic expectations: It’s a treat, not a health food
Dark chocolate benefits: Higher cacao often means more antioxidants

We won’t claim chocolate is “guilt-free” or a superfood. It’s delicious food to be enjoyed responsibly.

Sustainability and Environment

Cacao farming impacts:

Deforestation: Clearing rainforest for plantations
Biodiversity: Shade-grown vs. sun-grown cacao
Climate change: Cacao regions vulnerable to warming
Water use: Processing requires significant water

We highlight makers committed to:

Shade-grown, biodiverse cacao
Reforestation and conservation
Water conservation in processing
Climate-resilient farming practices

The Problem with Mass-Market Chocolate

We love good chocolate. Mass-market chocolate often involves:

Commodity cacao: Lowest-quality beans
Exploitation: Poverty-level farmer compensation
Child labor: Persistent problem in West Africa
Lots of sugar: Masking poor-quality cacao
Additives: Unnecessary ingredients

Craft chocolate addresses these issues through ethical sourcing, quality beans, and transparent practices. It costs more because it’s worth more—to farmers, to the environment, and to your palate.

Chocolate and Romance

Chocolate’s association with romance is real—chemically and culturally:

Phenylethylamine: “Love chemical” in chocolate
Serotonin: Mood-enhancing compounds
Cultural tradition: Chocolate as gift of affection
Sensory indulgence: Pleasure and sharing

We celebrate chocolate’s romantic side while teaching you to choose quality chocolates that truly impress.

Thank You

Thank you for choosing Cocoa Studio as your chocolate education resource. Whether you’re tasting your first craft chocolate bar or your hundredth single-origin, we’re honored to guide your journey.

May your chocolate be ethically sourced, your tempering flawless, and your palate forever expanding with delicious discovery.

Ready to taste the difference? Start with our Chocolate Tasting Guide and unlock flavors you never knew existed.